End the Care Crisis: Lobby 6th March 2012 in Westminster
Response to Select Committee care report
The Care & Support Alliance has responded to a report from the cross-party Health Select Committee, into social care:
I”The Health Select Committee’s report adds weight to growing evidence from the 60 charities of the Care & Support Alliance that social care funding pressures are leading to a diminished quality of life for disabled adults and older people and increased demand for NHS services.
MPs from all parties share our view with that cutting back on care is not only risking the dignity and independence of older and disabled people, but is ultimately robbing Peter to pay Paul – with the NHS picking up the knock on costs of poor quality care provision, namely distressing and avoidable hospital admissions for the most vulnerable members of society. This cross-party report clearly states that current funding levels are ‘not sufficient to maintain adequate levels of services’ and at a time when we need extra funding to meet rapidly growing demand, Directors of Social Services say that social care budgets fell by £1 billion last year.
It is time for Government to act to ensure that we have additional funding to tackle the crisis in social care and reform the structure and legal basis of the care system.”
The Alliance is co-ordinating a lobby of Parliament on 6th March to enable older and disabled people and their families to meet MPs and urge them to act to reform the social care system. To register visit www.carelobby2012.org.uk
